Improved btrgg-y-top



A. M. CORY.

Buggy Top.

Pat ented Dec. 7, 1869.

"-PEIERS, PHoTo-UTHOGRAPMBQ, wasHmGmM, 0 C.

hows, the flange N of the tumbler, .exten patrol A. MORRELL coast, on NEW PROVIDENCE,- nnw JERSEY.

Letters Patent No. 97,479, dated December 7, 1869; anteddted li ocember 20, 1869.

The Schedule referred to in these Letters Patent and making part of the same.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, A. Molinnm. CORY, hill, of New Providence, in the county of Union, and State of New J erscy, have invented an Improvement in Travelling- Vehicle Tops; and 1 do hereby declare that the following is a full and exact description of the same, reference being bad to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon.

The design of my invention is to provide for letting down the tops of vehicles in themost convenient mannor, from the inside or the outside, withoutcollapsing the frame-work and curtains, and preserving the expanded form of thetop, to secure the curtains fromwrinkling or fretting out, which damages both for service, and the. appearance of the top.

In the first place, I make up the top with the bows A expanded, and preserve them in this form by means of one or more bars, B, secured to the inside of the bows,'near the upper part. The same may be done by other devices naturally suggested.

1 then construct the base (3, fitted in shape to the form of theseat, or body, or any attachment thereto, and the ends,respectively, of this base, are made fast to the ends of the bows, but the base is allowed to turn on a pivot, D, which is secured to the seat, ora fixture of the seat or body,'at the most desirable point for the best effect.

The back of this base,when the top is rot-reverted, drops down to the jacks which connect the body F with the running gear of the vehicle, or it may rest on. supports thrown out from the seat or body for that purpose above the jacks. This, and other points .of

contact of the parts, are fortified with a pad, to prevent friction and extra rattling. I

In addition to the bars B, I attach two or more posts or strips, G, permanently, the upper end to the rear bow, and the lower end to the base, 'to assist in preserving the top in its positive and expanded form pr position. To these posts the knobs for the back curtain may be attached.

Near the back corner of the seat, on either end, outside, is placed a tumbler, H, the principle being that of a lever or self-acting inclined plane.

This tumbler is made fast to an bglnl, running across the back of the seat, usually. inside ot'it. The boltis made to turn in collars attached to the seat.

To the base is permanently secured a stop, K, at either end of the seat, or side, or corner of the body, with apawl, which, when the top is thrown up, catches into a notch in the upper end of the tumbler, and holds the top in its upright position.

L is a key, at either side of the top, made to turn, one end in a collar attached to one'of the bows, and the other end in a collarsecured to the base.

This key has a handle, M, at the upper end, inside of the top, and at the lower end, outside of it, and by turning this handle round to a right angle with the of the key strikes against a pointincreases the bracing of the top.

ding below the point of its con-f tact with the bolt. tumbler back and releases the stop, when, by its gravity, the top is retroverted, and is steadied in its decline by the hand on the handle of the key, or on the bow or loop S.

The key is shouldered inside of the collars, which been turned, it is reacted by a spiral or other spring, 0. So also the bolt 1 is provided with a spiral or other spring or springs, T, to keep the tumblers in their proper position, and cause them to react, and with, a regulator or projection at one or more points,

placed conveniently in relation to the seat, to limit the action of the tumbler.

The particular form, or exact location of the tumbier or the stop, is not essential. They may be carried round on the rear of the seat, if preferred,.or other devices may be employed to support the base when the top is raised. Even a common spring-bolt may be made to catch under the base by a common means of connecting the two ends, and operating with a key or lever, only so that the principle of the base be preserved, being held up or let down by some suitable devices, or rotated on an axis.

Ateither back corner of the seat, I attach a guard, Q, which has a projection, R, at its upper end, to prevent the top being thrown up and forward too far when it is raised. These guards being carefully adjusted to the inside of the base, serve to preserve the top from any lateral motion when it is beinglowered or raised, or after it is raised.

To the inside of the bows, on each side of the top,

I attach the loop S,'of fixed form, for the use of the hand of the traveller, also to rest on the top of the guard when the top is let down, which forms an additional support for it when in' its inclined positiom As the key acting on one tumbler turns both, there fore'tbe top is let down by turning the key on either side, andasthe parts of the top are-well secured to cachet-her, it may be raised to its-upright position by lifting it from any point. v

The ends of the bows may be attached to the base, or rotate on the same axis with it. Therefore,

\Vhat I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The base 0, or its equivalent, permanent in its relation to the top, movable with the top on an axis, G, in its relation to the body or seat, the posts G, and the bars'B, or their equivalents, substantially as. and for the purposes specified. 2. In the support or'limitation and action of the top, the tumblers H, connected by the bolt I, also the stops or pawls K, the keys L, the guards Q, and loops S, or their equivalents, substantially as and for the purposes specified.

' A. MORBELL CORY, M. D. Witnesses:

Homes HARRIS, I L. B. Sam.

This carries the upper end of the When the key has 

